Sensory Processing Disorder

The first thing you should do when planning quality, sensory-friendly family time is to make a list of the various types of entertainment that your family will enjoy doing together such as games, movies and family outings. Only include activities that everyone in the family will participate in. The easiest way to do this is to have each family member make their own list of [...]

It has been a hard couple of months. My daughter got disappointing results on the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test, despite having been in occupational therapy for four years. According to her most recent scope, she probably has some other food allergies lurking, causing reactions in her GI tract. We're having to go through medical review again so she can continue her immunoglobulin replacement therapy for [...]

In our house, we have to prepare in a lot of special ways for certain circumstances. Serious weather and natural disasters are just one of the things we have to be ready for and prepare for the unexpected. It can be very difficult to predict how our oldest daughter will react to some situations. D is six years old and she is our special child. [...]

We all know how fast time seems to fly. You hear it all the time, “It seems like only yesterday our daughter was born.” Or “Wow, has it really been that long since we have seen each other?” “It seems like it was just last week.” Time can seem to fly when we are having a great time, or it can seem to drag when [...]

Several weeks ago, our family attended a parade as part of a local festival. Our daughter was excited and looking forward to going. When we got there, we found a great place to watch the parade and waited. When the parade began, I realized our mistake. It started with emergency vehicles, lights and sirens going full force. It was too much. She was already having [...]

SPD Awareness. I remember the first time I learned the term Sensory Processing Disorder. It was in reference to one of my sons. Imagine an assault on your senses that is so severe that it makes you curl up in a ball and cry. Or worse, it makes you sick to your stomach. That is my son. His sensory issue? Loud noises. Now we haven't [...]

Surviving the Fourth of July with a Child with SPD Everyday life can be challenging for children with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) to navigate, but holidays like the Fourth of July can be especially so because of the sensory input they receive during events like fireworks displays, cookouts, and other community activities. Our community celebrates with a day full of bounce houses, snow cones, popcorn, [...]

J’s worst ‘playdate’ experience was probably also the best. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t remember what happened three years ago, but I do. It changed our perspective, our lives. See, back before he had any official diagnosis, we would just chalk J’s screaming up to his speech delay. Sure, some days were worse than others, but we just couldn’t seem to get a handle on [...]

If you have ever read anything in the In-Sync series and wondered how you could implement similar ideas at home, these activity cards are perfect for you. These activity cards were developed by Joye Newman and Carol Kranowitz. Newman has a Master of Arts degree from George Washington University in Education and Human Development with a specialty in Perceptual Motor Development. In addition to significant [...]

You say you don’t want a cure. Well I do. I get why you don’t… this is a part of your child, an imperfect piece perfectly imbedded, merged, marinated, simmered and fused within every nuance of your child. You can not separate autism, or epilepsy, or down syndrome, or whatever it is from your child without removing what makes him… him. I completely respect that. [...]

(originally posted on www.ManyHatsMommy.com, December 1, 2011) As the holiday season is now in full swing, I want you to keep your heart open to the other one percent of us out there, the autism spectrum community. Like you, we will be out and about during this time of the year, and it is my hope that when you see us, you keep your comments [...]

Sensory Processing Disorder, referred to as SPD and formerly known as Sensory Integration Dysfunction, has many different facets. SPD can affect children as well as adults, but the exact cause is unknown. There is evidence in preliminary research that shows SPD could be genetic, however, birth complications and environmental factors have also been shown to play a part in causing the condition. Frustrating, isn't it?? [...]

The wind hurts my skin One of the things you get used to with a child that is fairly non-verbal or at least, non-communicative, is not asking questions that are too complex to answer. Simple, concrete, yes / no type questions are good. Not theoretical. Not taking too much consideration or imagination. Or, quite simply, not asking any questions that are outside the realm of [...]

Please allow me to share a letter that I (and any who subscribe to the SPD Foundation Newsletter) received recently from Dr. Lucy Jane Miller...and be sure...there's more to come! The last chance for inclusion of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) in the DSM-5 has arrived. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has announced the third and final opportunity for public feedback. The Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation [...]

You don’t prepare for the moment you realize something’s “wrong” with your child. No one expects that their joy from one of the happiest days of their lives will be overshadowed with pain. No one ever tells us, as parents of special children, that one of many the things we will find ourselves doing is grieving….a lot. When discovering our children have disabilities, what “normal” [...]

The term “IEP” comes up often when discussing special education programs in public schools. If you have a child with a disability who’s about to enter school, or if you think your child may have a learning disability because he or she is struggling in school, you may want to learn more about IEPs if you haven’t already. What is an IEP? An IEP is [...]

Resentment is a strong word... He asked if my other two children resented him. This teenager trying to understand. Do I think they resent him? The attention given, the care received, the considerations made. This was a teenager, less knowledgeable about the ways of the world, of censoring thoughts rather than allowing them to form into words. Not that this is his fault; he is [...]

Compliments to our Blogger Network, from Autism Asperger’s Digest magazine. • Sensory Savvy Parenting! By Britt Collins, M.S., OTR/L Reprinted with permission from a featured article that appears in the just-released July/August issue of Autism Asperger’s Digest magazine. Learn more, www.AutismDigest.com. Your first child. What an exciting, wonderful, and anxious time it is! When you found out you were pregnant, you probably read stacks of [...]

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